CH44 Holding - need some help...

[TommyMagic]

My tank has only been set up for about 5-6 weeks (set up as in having fish in there) but already my female CH44 has been holding for about 2 weeks or so. They have developed from the eggs to the little fry now and I can see little black things moving in her mouth etc.

The problem is, I cannot move her to another tank. I have only one other tank and that is occupied with, amongst others, a red tailed shark. I really can't afford to buy another tank, heater and filter right now.

She isn't getting too much of a hard time from the male or the other fish. What are the chances of her remaining in the community tank and fry surviving etc?

Any advice is very appreciated.

[tires]

what size tank do you have? if you can, just use divider. just make sure that it fits snug as the fry can get thru the slightest space it seems. what decor do you have in your tank? lots of caves & other hiding places. i read some where that anywhere up to 75-80% of fry in a community tank may perish. but trust me you'll have many more fry to come once they start breeding they are very "rabbit"-like. i have 2 batches of astotilapia latifisciata*hope i spelled that right?hehe (zebra obliquidens).over 100 fry between the two. i can tell you what im learning/learned so far if you need some more advice.

[TommyMagic]

Right well, it's around about a 40 gal, closer to 45 I actually think now. So I suppose a few 'purists' would say that it's a little too small but I have many friends who have successfullykept Mbunas/Vics in 40gals for many years.

I have Many caves and nooks etc, in fact just a week ago I added a few more rocks and did a small re-shuffle and created many more. I also have one large rock on one side that in literally covered in holes, the fry would do well to get inside them.

The thing is though, I dont really have anything to do with the fry right now. As I say, I have little possibility of getting another tank right now (just got a new car, going vaccation etc) and my LFS said that they have plenty Ch44's right now and more on the way. Also, my tank is full fish wise, it would be nice to have one or two fish in their that I saw born etc but I cant have lots of fry surviving in some ways.

Any advice on this aspect would be much appreciated. What do people do with all the fry? Like you say, you had 100, what do you do with them all? And what do the more 'casual' keepers do? I see myself somewhere inbetween haha

[tires]

i am going to sell/ trade mine to keep good stocklines going as mine are slowly going extinct as others in lake victoria. but what ever i cant sell/trade etc. the rest *(i hate to say it ) will be used as feeders...hope fully not. as ive got 5 tanks set-up and still wouldnt have enough room.
basically just let nature take its course in tank until youre ready to make the right accomidations.
i left my 1st female in tank for about a week then moved her to a 25 gal to finish holding. @ 19 days later she released. but, before that happened. another of my females was holding so i put in a divider and had them both in it. my 2nd female released 18 days later *last wednesday i believe. 46 1st batch and at least 65+ 2nd batch. then i left each in for @4 days after they released their fry, to feed them well and then put the females back in the main tank. i put the 1st batch in a 10 gal. for now while 2nd is in 25 gal. to keep lines separated. hope this will help you down the line when you get to take care of the fry. good luck.